


Don't Leave Me

by I_Need_An_Alex_Fierro



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 14:27:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14357361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Need_An_Alex_Fierro/pseuds/I_Need_An_Alex_Fierro
Summary: It kept replaying over and over in my head, my mind refusing to process the afternoons events.Magnus’ dazzling smile, the screech of car tyres, his lifeless body in my arms, as I screamed at the Gods, the golden glow of Fray fading….





	Don't Leave Me

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this one was a little spontaneous. The prompt came to me during a meeting at work, and I subsequently spent about 6 hours straight writing this.
> 
> It's fluffy, and angsty, I can't really explain what was going on in my head at the time, but I actually really enjoyed writing it.  
> Bonus points to anyone who can spot what I accidently managed to do all the way through ;)

 

***6 hours earlier***

_“You look kind of cute when you’re angry with ice cream on your nose”_

Magnus’ grin shone brighter than the midsummer sun they were lounging in, I had to blink a few times trying to clear the dizzy spots from my vision, before remembering I had a reputation to uphold.

 _“Shut it Beantown, before I slice you up and use you for toppings_ ”

He frowned at that, momentarily distracted, and I seized my opportunity to smear some of my mint choc chip across his cheek.

He responded with something between a squeal and a moan, trying to roll away from me in the grass, but I was too fast for him, swinging my leg over and pinning him down, before I launched myself on top of him in fits of laughter.

 _“Someone”_ I managed, keeping him in place beneath me with my knees on his chest, trying to catch my breath, _“Doesn’t like a taste of his own medicine”._

I paused, to appreciate the feeling of the sun on the back of my neck, the soft rustle of wind that seemed to be ruffling Maggie’s hair on purpose, and the overwhelming sense of happiness and calm that I’d found to be more frequent, whenever I was alone with the blonde. Stupid son of the peace god, starting to rub off on me. I’ll have to smash some pots and listen to heavy music _far_ too loud later to make up for this.

I focused on his face, expecting to see my smile reflected back at me with an extra Gigawatt of juice, but instead found him scowling up at me, his arms crossed over his chest, pouting like a 5-year-old who hadn’t got their way.

 _“Awh, is wittle Maggie gwumpy now?”_ I teased in a childish voice, returning his mock pout and lowering myself to lie flat on top of him, bringing our faces less than an inch apart.

As our bodies lined up, I slowly watched his composure crumble, and had to fight to maintain my fake pout. I felt him try to shift beneath me, but countered his moves with my hips, earning a cute little gasp in response.

 _“Nope, if Maggie chooses to be grumpy, Maggie has to be punished for it”_ I continued playfully, rocking side to side gently on his chest.

Pressed up this close, I could feel his heart rate begin to rise, and I watched the colour start to drain from his cheeks.

I considered for a moment, trying to decide how I could prolong this Boyfriend Torture Session, it was turning out to be rather entertaining, then I remembered the mint choc chip ice cream I had smeared on his cheek not 2 minutes ago.

On my next rock to his right side, I reached round and licked the smear off his cheek in one smooth movement, rocking back to centre and nearly falling off at the look on his face.

 

In books I’ve read and movie’s I’ve seen, the descriptive line ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost” is cheesy, cliché, and _way_ overused. But I must concede, that right then, nothing described my wonderful boyfriend better.

There was official no colour in his cheeks, or anywhere in his face for that matter, his pupils were as wide as saucers, and his mouth sat slightly open, small wisps of air escaping, as if he was trying to form a sentence, but the oxygen had been taken from his lungs.

 _“Deary me Magnus, you’re really not doing well today, are you? “_ I prompted him in fake mockery, _“It looks like you need CPR”_ , and before he had a chance to react to this new revelation, I leaned forward an inch and pressed my lips to his.

 

I think it’s safe to say, that if I had short-circuited Maggie up to now, he was officially broken. For starters, he didn’t even kiss me back for the first 5 seconds, and only seemed to register what was happening when I got impatient and poked at his lips with my tongue. Eventually, a backup generator ground to life somewhere in his head, and his lips parted, letting his tongue out to meet mine. I smiled into him, and brought my elbows to rest either side of his head, running my hands through his hair, as I felt his arms cross over my lower back and hold me gently.

What started off as a game of tongue-tag, soon relaxed into a soft, loving kiss, as his hands rubbed small circles on my lower back in a mini-massage.

After what felt like an age, I pulled back and brought my hand down to rub his cheek affectionately, grinning broadly when I discovered they were now full and overflowing with deep red colour.

 _“There we go”_  I whispered, before shifting slightly and settling down on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

 

**_*Dadum**Dadum**Dadum*_ **

****

The afternoon sun lulled me into a daze, I’m not sure how long I lay there, just enjoying his presence, but eventually I felt a deep vibration beneath my head, and realised he was trying to talk to me.

 _“Hm?”_ I mumbled, in my ever so eloquent state. I lifted my head an inch and cracked one eye open, trying to focus on my sunshine boy without being blinded.

 _“Don’t go falling asleep on me, we need to head back soon”_ he said quietly, pressing his lips to my forehead and holding them there.

I opened my mouth to respond, but instead closed my eyes, revelling in the fireworks that were shooting out from where Magnus’ lips met my skin.

 _“Fineeee”_ I groaned, untangling my arms from his, sitting up, and stretching.

Getting to my feet, I took his outstretched hand and pulled him up next to me.

Not wanting to let go, I intertwined my fingers with his and tugged him towards the gates of the park.

_“You know they’re gonna wonder where we’ve been all afternoon”_

I didn’t need to ask who he was referring to, our friends on Floor 19 never seemed to miss a beat when it came to Magnus and I’s interactions, and yet somehow managed to miss something and die every day in battle training. That will always be a mystery to me.

 _“Yeah, I know, but if they choose to pester me after I tell them it’s none of their business, I cannot be held responsible for any injuries they sustain thereafter”_ I replied matter-of-factly.

Magnus chuckled at that, and I squeezed his hand playfully as we came to a halt at a traffic light crossing.

He hit the button, before turning to me with a very serious face.

_“Alex, have you ever considered Ballet? Or contemporary Dance?”_

I stared back at him, unsure how seriously to try and answer the question.

In truth, when I was younger, the idea of dancing had been _very_ appealing for me, but I had never bothered even mentioning it to my father, I knew he’d never allow it. It hadn’t crossed my mind in years.

 _“What would you say if I had?”_ I responded cautiously.

I pouted when Magnus promptly dropped my hand, just as the traffic lights beeped, signalling we could cross.

Magnus brought his arms up in a mock ring around his abdomen, taking very large, exaggerated, spring loaded steps out across the road. The sheer sight of my boyfriend even _attempting_ to represent anything remotely similar to ballet had me almost doubled over laughing immediately. This only seemed to spur Magnus on, swinging his arms out in a horribly formed pirouette.

This was the final straw for me, as I stumbled to a halt in the middle of the road, clutching my stomach in laughter, reaching up to wipe tears from my eyes.

It was in that brief moment that I heard it.

 Just as Magnus was obscured from my vision by my own arm, the hair-raising screech of car tyres met my eyes.

I managed to pull my arm down just in time to see the front grille of a truck pick my boyfriend up off his feet, and send him 6 feet into the air, as my entire world ground to a halt.

Time felt like trying to run through a jar of golden syrup.

I felt the scream get ripped from my lungs, but it seemed to echo through a black void and get reflected back into my ears.

Magnus looked like a rag doll, held mid-air, a toy cast aside by a child, limp and lifeless.

My legs carried me towards him without need for a command, as my mind choked on the visual feed it was receiving, looking for any small detail that might allow it to claim this wasn’t real.

A horrible ringing pierced my ears, overriding all other sounds around me as I watched him fall, desperate to get to him before the ground did.

But I wasn’t fast enough.

Magnus’ lifeless body met the tarmac with a sickening **_*crack*_** that jarred every bone, nerve and synapse in my body.

I leapt the last 3 metres between us and crashed down on my knees by his side, barely registering the skin on my knees splitting against the road surface.

 _“MAGNUS!!”_ I grabbed his shoulders, _“MAGGIE DON’T YOU DARE LEAVE ME”,_ tears streaming down my face uncontrollably now. _“DON’T YOU DARE, YOU CAN’T”_ my breathing came in ragged gasps as I held his face in my hands, desperately searching for any sign of life.

There was a deep gash across one side of his forehead, and I fixated on that, hoping, pleading with it to heal. This was the son of _Frey._ Magnus healed life threatening wounds on a near daily basis, I’d even seen him heal himself multiple times, he had to do it again now, _he had to._

_“COME ON BEANTOWN, DON’T GIVE UP ON ME NOW, YOU’VE SURVIVED WORSE THAN THIS”_

In some far off world, the drivers of the cars at the traffic lights were murmuring amongst themselves, but no one had dared come forwards. I registered a shout of _“Someone call an ambulance!”,_ but I knew no mortal medical care could help her boyfriend now.

I turned, murder sparking from my iris’, my vision focusing on the truck, ground to a halt over the stop line, as the driver was stumbling down to road level.

A force I couldn’t name pulled me up from the ground, but I made no attempt to fight it, wrapping my fingers around the handle of my garrotte, staring dead at the driver, who only now seemed to register my presence.

_“Hey I’m-“_

He spluttered to a halt as I cracked my garrotte like a whip, pure raging coursing through my veins like Magma beneath a volcano, straining to break the surface and ravage anything in its path.

I took one step towards him, then another, vaguely registering the other drives parting around me, scared to be too close.

My voice came out as a low growl, etched with fury.

_“Do you have **any idea** what you’ve just done?”_

All the colour had now drained from the drivers face, and he was visibly trembling, pinned in place by fear.

I was barely 3 feet away now, and just as I tensed to strike, I heard a spluttering sound from behind me. I turned to see Magnus’ chest heaving, his lungs trying to find prize on oxygen they didn’t contain.

In a flash I was back by his side, brushing his hair out of his face.

_“Magnus, I’m here, come on Maggie please”._

His eyes didn’t open, but I felt a feint warmth beneath my fingers, as a soft golden glow began to envelop his frame. I gasped, along with multiple people behind me, but I had no idea what they were seeing, nor did I care at that moment.

I pulled Magnus’ head into my chest and rocked back and forth gently, muttering to myself in deliria.

_“Come on Maggie, come on, you can do it, I need you, here with me, Don’t Leave Me, please, please Don’t Leave Me”_

I felt the warmth inside my arms fade, leaving just Magnus’ still lifeless body.

I pulled back to see his face, praying to all the gods I could name that the cut on his forehead was gone, and his gorgeous grey eyes would flutter open to stare back at me.

I was a fool to hope.

The cut on his head bled on, His eyes remained motionless behind their lids, and the colour seemed to be draining from his face.

A fresh wave of anger exploded in my chest.

 _“NO!”_ I screamed, up at the sky this time.

_“AFTER EVERYTHING HE’S DONE FOR YOU! AND A SON OF FREY! YOU BUNCH OF COWARDS! HOW DARE YOU LET HIM DIE LIKE THIS, I WILL HUNT EVERY ONE OF YOU DOWN TO THE ENDS OF THE NINE REALMS AND TAKE YOUR HEADS FOR THIS”_

I screamed and screamed at the heavens until my throat felt raw, and still yelled on, clutching the motionless body of my boyfriend in my arms.

 

I don’t know how long I sat there screaming.

At some point, an ambulance showed up and tried to separate us, and judging from the feint taste of copper in my mouth later that day, I think I must have bitten them. Hard. The world became a blur around me. People trying to get close to him, but me not letting them. They weren’t allowed to touch him. He was mine. They couldn’t help him. I needed to be there if, no _when,_ he woke up. By the time we arrived at the hospital, there was an echoing Irish voice in the background, that I knew to be Mallory, though I don’t recall seeing her face, nor do I know how she knew to be there. Colours blurred together, sounds faded out, I think my face ended up buried in Mallory’s frizzy ginger locks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next thing I knew, I woke with a start to a steady, _very_ annoying beeping noise, curled up in an extremely uncomfortable position.

I let out a groan and tried to raise my head.

_“Would someone turn off whatever in Helheim is making that Gods forsaken noise”._

_“That’s your boyfriend’s heart, Alex, I don’t think you want that turned off”._

My eyes snapped wide open.

I leapt from the chair I’d been curled up in, only to promptly collapse, as pain seared in my knees.

_“Easy there, slow down”._

I looked up from where I’d landed unceremoniously on the floor, to find Mallory leaning over me, offering me a hand up.

She looked tired, and very, very sad, but tried for a reassuring smile as she helped me up.

 _“I don’t know what you did to your knees”_  she said with an exasperated grimace, “ _but they’re cut up pretty bad”_.

I looked down to where she was staring, barely registering the deep red stains and torn green fibres around my knees.

 _“Tarmac”_ I muttered.

Mallory snorted, _“You don’t say”._

Another beep brought my mind back into focus.

I took a deep breath and turned my eyes to the bed on my right, and its occupant.

 

Bruises had blossomed beautifully across the right side of his face and down beneath his jaw line. The cut on his forehead was no longer bleeding, but was being held together by a few stitches. There was a clear tube protruding from the left side of his mouth, which I knew ran down into his lungs. A breathing tube. Both of his forearms were wrapped up in plaster casts, along with his right ankle. His hair was dirty, bloody, and matted, but yet somehow still cute, still Magnus.

I felt a sob well up in my lungs, nearly bursting free, but I swallowed it down, simultaneously fighting the tears threatening to spill over from my eyes.

I let out a breath I didn’t realise I had been holding, allowing my eyes to roam over his body, memorising every detail in an instant.

 _“Alex…”_ Mallory started gently.

_“ **Don’t.** ”_

Mallory looked startled at my sharp-edged response.

I rubbed my eyes.

 _“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, but I really don’t want to talk about it, and I **definitely** don’t want sympathy. Tell me they got the guy. I was half an inch from taking his head, but I thought he was” _ I gestured to the bed, swallowing another sob.

_“Yeah, police picked him up at the scene, they’ll deal with him accordingly”._

There was a hint of challenge in her voice, as if to say _‘Let them deal with it, you don’t need to’_. A part of me scowled at her nerve to suggest I shouldn’t go and ‘ _deal’_ with the guy who hit my boyfriend with a gods damn truck. But right then, I didn’t have the energy to argue, and I didn’t want to leave Magnus.

“ _Good”,_ I responded curtly. _“What’ve the doctors said?”_  I asked, my eyes lingering once again on the cut on his forehead.

 _“Severe concussion, cracked jaw, two broken arms, 3 broken ribs, broken ankle, and that’s just bones”._ Mallory listed, watching me carefully.

The pit of my stomach took a trip to Helheim, but I cleared my throat and tried to keep my voice steady.

 _“Anything else?”_ I managed.

“ _They say he sure as Hel shouldn’t be alive, and they can’t work out why his body hasn’t given out yet. But they’ve done all they can for now, They’ve dropped him into a medically induced coma, so they can monitor him closely and see what happens.”_

I nodded, certain that words would betray me if I tried them.

 _“Hey…”_ Mallory started, and I turned my gaze on her, causing her to flinch.

 _“I’m not going to decapitate you, Mallory”_ I said with a sigh.

 _“Excellent, good to know”,_ she muttered, _“Halfborn and TJ are in the cafeteria getting us some food, are you gonna be okay on your own for a bit?”_

I smiled sadly, feeling all the energy drained out of me just as quickly as it had appeared.

_“Yeah I’ll be fine, I promise, go get some food, I’m not going anywhere”_

Mallory gave me a small smile back and turned towards the door, before stopping. I raised an eyebrow as she turned back to me.

_“Do you, do you want anything?”._

She looked very awkward, and for a second I wondered why, but then I recalled I had a habit of decapitating people who messed up food orders for me, and on top of that my boyfriend was lying banged up and broken in a hospital bed next to me.

 _“I’m okay thanks, we, er”_ I glanced at Magnus, _“We got ice cream in the park earlier, I’ll eat later”_.

Mallory smiled wistfully, before stepping out the door and closing it behind her.

**_*Beep*_ **

**_*Beep*_ **

**_*Beep*_ **

I stepped round the bed and came up next to Magnus, studying the new contours of his face.

 _“Hey Beantown”_ I began quietly. I don’t know what was urging me to talk, something in the back of my mind answered that, in movies, they say that a lot of coma patients can still hear things. The thought comforted me, so I continued.

 _“Shouldn’t be alive eh? If only they knew. Feels like a pretty normal situation for us, but I don’t like this one.”_ I reached forward and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. _“I’m not in there with you. Who else is gonna save your neck and call you stupid nicknames?”_ I paused, the fool in me hoping I might get a laugh out of him, or some sort of response to my words, but none came. I took a deep breath and continued. _“Just do 1 thing for me? Don’t give up. The doctor’s say they don’t know why you’re still alive. But I do. It’s because you don’t deserve to die like this, and we’ll all be damned if the Gods don’t know it”._ I glanced up at the ceiling with a scowl, before taking Magnus’ hand in both of mine.

 _“Today was amazing, I’d say it was one of the best days of my life, but I think the correct phrase is one of the best days of my **after** life. And I want **so. Many. More.”**_ My voice cracked over the last three words, as I reached up and wiped a tear from my cheek. _“Everyone leaves me Magnus. Either when they find out who I really am, or if that’s not enough, when they can’t put up with me anymore. You were the first person to **ever** truly accept me, and I can’t describe how amazing that feels.”, _ I leant down and gently wrapped his fingers around my cheek, shivering at the warmth of his skin against mine. _“Don’t Leave Me, Magnus, please, Don’t Leave Me”._ My restraint finally ran out, and as tears cascaded down my cheeks, I stretched forward and pressed my lips to the stitched cut on his forehead. I realised why I was so intently drawn to it. It was in the exact same place he had kissed me, lying in the park that afternoon.

 

I don’t recall climbing onto the bed, but sometime later, when the window showed dark outside, Mallory gently shook my shoulder, and I woke to find myself curled up in a ball next to Magnus, cradling his right arm, in its cast, close to my chest. TJ and Halfborn stood at the end of the bed, watching me, but it was Mallory who spoke.

 _“We’re heading back to Valhalla for the night. The doctors aren’t exactly happy with you being on the bed with him, but I did warn them that anyone who tried to remove you would be at quite a serious health risk.”_ I smiled gratefully, almost managing to laugh. _“the only other comment they made was that you’ll probably be woken up when they come in to take his vitals every 2 hours”._

I thought for a moment, before nodding.

 _“That’s fine, thanks for the warning, I’ll do my best not to decapitate the night staff”_.

Mallory nodded and smiled., _“We’ll be back in the morning?”_

“ _You know where I’ll be”_ I looked from Mallory to the other two, who both nodded at me and turned towards the door.

Mallory looked to be considering saying something, but instead briefly squeezed my hand, before following them.

I watched the door for a few seconds after they’d gone, before adjusting slightly and settling back into Magnus’ side.

 _“Why a hospital, Beantown?”_ I murmured, feeling my eyelids grow heavy again. _“We could’ve slept next to each other **anywhere,** why did you have to make the first time a hospital?”_, as consciousness slipped away from me.

 

 

The next few days and nights passed in a blur, between Mallory, Halfborn, TJ, Sam, or a combination of the group coming to see Magnus each day, and being woken up every 2 hours through the night by staff who seemed afraid of even laying eyes on me. That was fine, I preferred it that way, that way I didn’t have to talk to people.

_“What do you say, Alex?”_

Samirah’s voice snapped me out of a daydream, which involved the truck driver’s head _magically_ becoming separated from his body.

_“Hm?”_

I looked round to find her and Mallory staring at me expectantly. Sam sighed.

_“Alex, you’ve been here for 5 days, come back to the hotel with me, shower, get a fresh set of cloths, then we’ll come back, I promise”._

I stared back at her blankly.

It was true, I’d been here for 5 days. But the thought of leaving hadn’t crossed my mind even once.

 _“I can’t”,_  I replied bluntly, turning back to Magnus.

 _“Alex”_ Mallory chimed in, _“Halfborn and I are here, you’ll be gone an hour max, nothing from Asgard, Helheim, or any realm in between Is coming through that door until you get back, **I promise.** Magnus would want you to at least shower and change.”_

I snapped my head round and narrowed my eyes at her.

_“How dare you try to-“_

_“ **Alex.** ”, Sam cut me off, _“ _Come on, she’s right and you know it. The sooner we leave; the sooner we’ll get back.”_

I gritted my teeth.

 _“ **Fine.** ” _I growled, following Samirah out the door.

 

I gave Sam the silent treatment all the way back to Valhalla, inwardly seething that _my own sister_ had taken Mallory’s side.

When the elevator arrived on floor 19, I stomped into my room, slamming the door behind me before Sam could follow me in. I heard her sigh from the hallway, but she made no attempt to enter. I headed straight for the bathroom to shower.

The soothing heat relaxed me a little, but the whole exercise only reminded me of the memory of finding Magnus in his room, shirtless, dripping with chocolate, the night we had returned from Naglrfar, when I’d told him to ‘ _Go take a shower’_.

 _Gods_ he looked hot like that.

I shook myself, stepped out of the shower, and dried off.

I took one look into my wardrobe, grabbed my black skinny jeans, a neon pink t shirt, my green ‘ _Fall Out Boy’_ hoodie, and my pink and green custom Adidas trainers.

10 minutes after slamming it in Sam’s face, I stepped back out of my door into the hallway, decked out in fresh clothes, hair still damp, but impatient to get back.

 _“Not bad”_ she smirked, turning back towards the elevator.

I went to follow her, but a strange tugging sensation in my gut stopped me.

Up until now, I had refrained entirely from looking down the corridor, to where I knew Magnus’ door stood. Now, I couldn’t help myself. It stood as it had done a thousand times before, nothing out of the ordinary, but now, something told me to go to it, even though I knew the room behind was empty.

 _“Wait”_ I called out to Sam, surprising myself as much as her. I took a cautious step towards Magnus’ room, then another. Something was making me feel very uneasy, and I couldn’t place what.

I came to a stop outside Magnus’ door, trying to calm the unease in my stomach. I couldn’t go in. We couldn’t access each other’s rooms unless the owner gave expressed permission, and even then I was pretty sure they had to be present or inside. But the tugging in my gut seemed to grow incessant. I reached out and placed my hand on the door, muttering under my breath, pleading with Helgi, to make an exception, just this once.

 _“Alex”,_ Sam started, _“You know you can’t-“_

I pushed against the wood, and the door swung inwards.

Sam let out a gasp, I was momentarily rooted to the spot.

I _really_ hadn’t expected that to work.

I took a shaky step inside, Sam following cautiously. Everything was as it had been last time I’d been in here, nothing seemed out of place at all, as if today was just another normal day, and soon Magnus would wake up in his bed, having been resurrected from that day’s battle training. I knew better than to wait and hope for that to happen. The tugging in my gut, however, did lead me to his bedroom. My eyes roamed over the pictures on the mantel piece, Maggie, Hearth and Blitz when they were still homeless, the whole floor 19 crew out on various adventures, my eyes stuck on the last photo. Magnus lay on his back, surrounded by lush green grass, in the shade of a tree, a few remnants of pale green on his right cheek, looking fondly down at his chest, where I recognised my own mop of bright green hair, black roots peeking through. My breath caught in my throat, tears brimming in my eyes, as I stepped forward and picked up the frame with a shaking hand.

I sensed Samirah over my shoulder, and swallowed, fighting to keep my voice steady.

 _“This picture”,_ I chocked, but pressed on, _“Is 5 days old. I smeared mint choc chip ice cream on his cheek in the park, then dozed off on his chest”_

I could sense Sam had no idea how to respond, so instead of waiting for her to try, I wiped my eyes, pulled the photo out of the frame, folded it, and pocketed it.

I turned back to her and gave her a small smile. _“Can we head back now, please?”_

 _“Sure”,_ she whispered, turning towards the door. As I passed Magnus’ night stand, I glanced up and noticed a hook on the wall, with a small runestone pendant handing from it, the Rune of Frey carved into it.

 _“Jack!”_ I yelled, causing Sam to jump about 4 foot and draw her axe as she swung round.

With a flash of purple, we were face to blade with a 6 foot floating broadsword, his runes fading through the colours of the rainbow.

 _“AH. Lean, Green killing machine, so glad to see you again”_ Jack’s voice seemed strained, there was none of the usually jokey tones, his words were etched with formality.

 _“How did you end up here?”_ I asked, pushing aside the guilt that had just formed like a stone in my stomach, when I realised that I hadn’t actually spared the sword a single thought after what happened.

 _“There were too many mortals around for me to transform and run through the driver who hit Magnus, aside from the fact it seemed you had him handled”,_ I smirked, but waiting for Jack to continue. _“Then, with the ambulance arriving and too many people around, I figured I would cause too many questions, and set off all the hospitals equipment in the process, and I didn’t really want to have to witness, you know, if he…”_ Jack trailed off.

I nodded slowly.

 _“Well the good news is, he’s okay for the moment, he’s in a coma, but he’s alive”_ I tried for a reassuring tone.

 _“I know”_ , Jack replied morosely, his runes fading a pale blue, _“I can still sense his life force, but it’s weak, very weak, and I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it, so er, yeah”._

The guilt stone in my stomach gained a few kilos. I hadn’t even considered the effect Magnus’ getting hurt, or death, would have on Jack. They were bound together. If Magnus’ life force faded completely, Jack would probably eventually return to the moss covered, rusty pole Magnus had once told me he’d originally found Jack as.

 _“Well we’re heading back to the hospital now to see him”_ I said quietly, _“I don’t really know what I can do to help him either, but your powers and his are linked, and his healing isn’t working properly at the moment, so would you wanna at least come with us and give it a try?”_

I tried not to sound too hopeful, I didn’t want to get his, or my, hopes up, but there was logic to my theory.

Jack was silent for a moment, and I began to think I’d said something wrong, but eventually Jack sighed. _“Sure, why not, I supposed it can’t make things any worse”._

A small smile made its way to my lips, and we all stood there in silence, until I realised the problem.

 _“Err”,_ I started, glancing at Sam, then back to Jack. _“The only slight problem is that we can’t get you into a hospital in sword form”._

_“Ah, right, of course”._

I tried to ignore how downcast Jack’s tone was, and held my palm out. With another flash of purple light, Jack’s runestone pendant rested in my hand.

I met Sam’s eyes, but neither of us said anything. Instead, we both headed for the door.

I studied Jack in my palm as we got into the elevator, before going to put him in my pocket.

I yelped as the runestone flashed red hot in my hand. Sam spun round, extreme concern written on her face. I stared down at the pendant, then at my palm. I hadn’t been burnt, maybe it was more of a message. I reached up and pulled the necklace over my head, Jack’s pendant coming to rest against my chest, humming with a strange but comforting warmth.

Sam’s face had changed from concern to curiosity as she watched me.

 _“I guess he doesn’t want to feel left out”_ I shrugged, stepping out of the elevator and heading for the front doors.

 

By the time we got back to the hospital, dusk was starting to set in. Mallory and Halfborn were sat on the hospital chairs, having a quiet conversation when I opened the door.

 _“Ahh, much better”_ Mallory smiled. I raised an eyebrow, but smiled back at her.

 _“Sorry about earlier…”_ I mumbled, sheepishly staring at my shoes.

 _“Don’t be, I know you’re worried, I hope you’re feeling better now?”_ I nodded, smiling at her again, before stepping back to the side of the bed and studying Magnus’ face for the thousandth time that week, while Mallory and Sam had a hushed conversation.

After about 5 minutes, Sam’s hand appeared on my shoulder.

_“We’re heading down to get some dinner, did you want to come?”_

_“I’m okay for the moment thanks”,_ I smiled at her, bringing my hand up to meet hers. _“You guys go eat, I’m not too hungry, maybe later”._

Sam squeezed my shoulder, before following Mallory and Halfborn out the door.

I sat stroking Magnus’ hair, thankfully now clear and soft, humming to myself absently. In an ironic twist, the steady beep of the heart monitor had become comforting to me over the last 5 days. Every beep told me my boyfriend was still in there, still fighting.

As I stared at it, it slowly began to increase in speed.

Only marginally at first, but after about a minute, his heart rate had doubled to 120 BPM and was rising faster and faster. Panic shot through my chest. Magnus’ skin was getting feverish under my fingers, and clammy. I ran for the door, opened it and screamed into the hallway _“I NEED HELP IN HERE”,_ before darting back to Magnus’ side. 5 seconds later a nurse cam careering into the room, rested a hand to his forehead, before studying the heart rate monitor, which had now reach 180 BPM and showed no signs of stopped. I watched the colour drain from her face, as a pit of emptiness opened in my stomach.

 _“This is bad”,_ She muttered.

 _“What do you mean it’s bad?!”_ I screeched, _“Bad how?!”_.

I may as well not have existed. She didn’t even register my words, just continued muttering to herself _“This is bad, this is really bad.”_.

Eventually she went running out of the room again, I followed her to the door screaming _“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!”_

My heart rate was trying it’s hardest to match the heart rate monitor, and I was suddenly very light headed.

Back at Magnus’ side, more tears were streaming down my face.

 _“Don’t do this to me, Maggie”_ I kept saying, _“We’ve had this conversation, you can’t leave me, you’re not allowed, please, please Don’t Leave Me”,_ My voice broke, my lungs caved, black spots began to cloud my vision. I was convinced I wouldn’t wake up again, I would be lost to the void. I was okay with that, If I could join Magnus there.

 

A sharp searing in the centre of my chest brought me back to the hospital room. No other staff had showed up yet, the heartrate monitor was working overdrive, Magnus had started to shake. I reached down my shirt to find out what was burning my chest, bringing my hand out with Jack’s pendant resting in my palm, no longer searing hot, but warm, almost meaningful. I didn’t think twice, I yanked the necklace over my head, lifted Magnus’ head, and brought jack to rest where he belonged.  The heart rate monitor slowed slightly, as if something, or someone, was fighting to bring Magnus’ heart rate back to normal. _“Come on, Jack, come on”_ I whispered, watching Magnus’ face intently. The heart rate monitor went up, then down again, back up, down a little further. After about 10 seconds of fluctuating, the room was filled with deafening silence. I stared, open mouthed, at the heart rate monitor, only to discover that it had switched off, it had finally given out. My hand shot to Magnus’ neck, feeling for a pulse, but I was shaking so much I couldn’t tell what was him and what was me. I leaned down to put my ear next to his mouth, to see if he was breathing.

Nothing.

I began to convulse with violent sobs, defeat eating me up from the inside out, despair claiming my soul for the rest of eternity. I cried and screamed into Magnus’ chest, furious with the gods, scared to death at the prospect of an eternity _without_ Magnus Chase, so utterly sick of the world I’d been born into. I brought my head up to look at my lifeless boyfriend one last time, leaned forward an inch, and pressed my lips softly against his, one last time, pouring all of my emotion and pain into the kiss.

I pulled back, my throat raw, whispering _“ **Please,** Don’t Leave Me”._

After a moment, I turned away, unable to stand looking him any longer, contemplating jumping out the window, anything to get away from here.

I took one step, ignoring the spinning in my head and the dull throbbing in my chest, before something caught my wrist in a vice grip. I looked down and chocked, as Magnus’s hand pulled me back around.

 

 

The next thing I knew, Magnus’ arms were wrapped around me as he sobbed into my neck.

 

 _“ **Never** ” _he managed, between ragged breaths, _“I will **Never** Leave You”._

How I stayed standing from that point on, I’m not even sure the Gods could tell you. But as I wrapped my arms around my boyfriend, the last strands of my composure shattering, a brilliant golden light strained to break through my eyelids, but I ignored it, focusing only on the living, breathing, **_healing_** boyfriend who was now clinging to me for dear life. I adjusted my head enough to find his lips once more, as the rest of that day melted away.

 

 

 

I’m sure nurses came flooding in at some point, as well as Mallory, TJ, Halfborn and Samirah. I’m sure they were all astounded, the medical staff utterly dumbfounded at how the boy who shouldn’t have been alive and had managed to break a heart rate monitor, was suddenly alive, kicking, and fully healed. There were still scratches and scars on his body, but I suppose the magic is smart enough to know that it would cause _too many_ questions if everything was _fully_ healed, it is magic after all.

I’m sure the hospital ran numerous tests thereafter, verifying and re-verifying that Magnus was in fact alive and fully healed. And I think he was discharged the next day. Well, he must’ve been, because that day is today, and right now, I’m lying, wrapped up tightly in the arms of my sunshine boy, reclining in a hammock that had mysteriously appeared between two branches of Yggdrasil in his room when we got back to Valhalla this morning, a soft Spanish ballad playing from a speaker in his room, listening to Ratatosk terrorise other hotel residents.

“ _Magnus”_ I said quietly, gently drumming my fingers on his chest along to his heart beat beneath my head.

 _“Mm?”_ he responded drowsily. The afternoon sun was making me tried too.

 _“Did you mean it?”_ I asked, still not looking up at him.

 _“Mean what?”_ he asked, bringing a hand down to stroke my hair. I shivered slightly and nuzzled into his touch.

 _“When you said you’d never leave me”,_ I continued, focusing intently on my fingers drumming his heart beat, trying to not sound as scared as I felt. _“Eternity is a long time. I understand if-“_

 _“Hey”,_ he whispered, his hand moving down beneath my chin, tilting my head up so he could meet my eyes.

 _“ **Never.”**_ He said, quietly, but firmly, before pressing his lips to mine.

When we broke apart, I knew nothing else needed saying, and my eyelids had grown heavy, so instead of fighting it, I nestled back into his chest, letting the sunlight from above warm my skin, while Magnus warmed my heart.


End file.
